The number of yarn bobbins mounted upon the creel stand associated with a knitting machine may number from about 30 to over 100. The quantity of fiber waste discharged from the yarn passing to and from the creel stand is therefore quite large, particularly when the yarn is comprised of cotton. After the fiber waste has become airborne, it will tend to settle upon and adhere to spare bobbins or yarns that are to be pieced together, thereby causing yarn breakage and defects in the fabric being knitted. This of course lowers the quality of the fabric, and also impairs the efficiency of the knitting operation.
It has previously been proposed to direct a current of air downwardly from a fan or blower located above the creel stand. This approach is of little benefit, however, since the air flow merely temporarily displaces the fiber waste, and does not collect the same or prevent its migration to adjacent creel stands and/or knitting machines.
It has also heretofore been proposed to enclose the creel stand by a hermetic covering, and to then collect the fiber waste by use of a motor driven fan and waste-collecting filters disposed within the hermetic covering. However, providing a hermetic covering is quite costly, and its presence complicates the knitting operation.